Thespian Point Record Form

International Thespian Society

The International Thespian Society is an honor society aimed at the theatre lovers of your school. Founded in 1929, the organization has rapidly grown having inducted over 2.2 million students since it’s beginning. Through the organization, students can attain honor ranks and attend state and international festivals.

Rank & Honor

Upon meeting set requirements, student’s can join ITS through their school’s thespian troupe. Currently the requirements are: 1. Having participated in the equivalent of two full length shows (2 one-acts can equal a full length). 2. Having earned at least 10 thespian points. 3.Pay the dues required to join.

Once the student has joined they can begin to accumulate points for their various theatre involvements and activities that they participate in. It is through this accumulating of points that they move up “ranks” and earn honors. It is here, that we find the need for an easy and useful way to keep track of points–thus the reason for the article!

The Problem

Running a Thespian club and keeping track of everyone’s points and ranks can get a bit tedious. While the ITS does provide paper forms for you to track your members points on, it doesn’t provide any sort of online system and let’s be honest, most of us do as much as we can online now!

Shortly after I started teaching, there was a 3rd party software system I used for several years. However, that program is no longer offered nor supported. Last year the school upgraded my computer and we found that this system was no longer going to work with a more modern CPU system. So, I needed a new solution.

The Solution

What I wanted was a way to track points that was user friendly and was sharable with the student so they could track their own progress, yet not edit the form themselves. Since our school utilizes the Google Apps, I decided that trying to create the form as a Google Sheet would be my best option and the creation phase began.

I’m guessing I’m not the only Thespian sponsor who has been in this situation, so I wanted to make it available to anyone who may like to use it at no cost! You can download the form here or use the button below.

Thespian Point Record Form

To get an editable copy to work with:

Download the document using the link

Under the “File” menu, select “Make A Copy”

Once you have an editable copy you can make as many copies of it as you need! But before you do make all those copies, be sure to name your original in a way you don’t accidentally use it and then have to make a copy and clear all the info to restore an original! Mine is labeled: “DO NOT CHANGE-Thespian Point Template”. As you make more and more copies, you need to be sure to have a good filing system in place! I personally have a “Thespian Membership” folder in my Google Drive, with the files following a naming format like this: “Last Name, First Name-Thespian Point Record”. Inside of that folder I have 4 sub-folders breaking the alphabet down into more manageable sections. You don’t have to do this part but you may find it useful depending on how many Thespians you have. I like to put a master template into each folder so I don’t have to exit out of them when creating more sheets for new Thespians.

Now that you have the forms here’s how you can use it!

The top is pretty self explanatory so I’ll let you go wild with that one.

When you’re ready to enter the points use the steps below:

1.Double-Click the date box. This will bring up a date selector for you to enter the date with.

2. Fill in the production box with the title of the show the work happened on, or the event they took part of (State Thespian Festival, etc.)

3. The position box is a drop down with the various areas listed in which they may have attained the points. (Major Role, Minor Role, Stage Crew, Stage Manager, etc.)

4. Next is the Role/Position Title box, and I honestly only really use this box to put in what role they had in a show but never really for the position, but you may want to so it’s there if you like.

5. Type is for stating whether it was for a One-Act or a Full Length show which along with what they did helps dictate how many points they receive.

6. Category tells us which area this entry is for. (Production, Acting, Business, Officers, etc.)

7. Then finally of course you need a place to put the points in! This is a drop down providing up to 10 points, which should cover anything you need.

The points column is formulated to add them for you as they are put in. You will see them total at the bottom of the column, and the point total at the top of the page in the informational area will also update so you don’t have to go and change that!

Once you’ve got their form ready to go, simply click share, put in their name and change their rights to “view only” and you’re good to go!

Now, I’m by no means a spreadsheet genius…okay, let’s be real, I only know enough to be dangerous. I automated what I could for both your and my own convenience. There are several areas that could be improved with more “conditional formatting” and automation that I don’t know how to do, however you may know how to improve it even more! I have provided a base tool, now you can take it and make it work for you as you see fit!